Key Moments

Europe (especially Britain and France) continues to dominate with the USA making significant contributions.

In 1801 England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were united to form the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland. The Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 saw Britain beat a combined sea force from France and Spain to consolidate its control of the sea. In the Battle of Waterloo (1815) Britain (allied to Prussia, the modern Germany) beat France, ending their domination in Europe. Also in 1815, the USA beat Britain in the Battle of New Orleans, the last battle between these two countries.

In 1813 Russia took control of the Caucus region (modern Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia) from Persia (the modern Iran). In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the USA. In the USA, 14,000 Cherokees were driven from (modern) Georgia to (modern) Oklahoma in an event called The Trail of Tears. Beginning in 1839, the UK forces China to accept opium from the West in a series of conflicts known as The Opium Wars.